Journal: Southeastern Theological Review
Volume: STR 12:1 (Spring 2021)
Article: Saving Masculinity And Femininity From The Morgue: A Defense Of Gender Essentialism
Author: Jordan L. Steffaniak

STR 12:1 (Spring 2021) p. 15

Saving Masculinity And Femininity From The Morgue: A Defense Of Gender Essentialism1

Jordan L. Steffaniak

University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

This essay offers a contemporary defense of gender essentialism that engages the growing body of academic literature, provides clarity on what is essential about gender, and explains how it is politically good for all people—especially women. Therefore, the goal of this essay is to recover and defend an essentialist understanding of gender. It rejects many of the narrow extremes of traditional evangelical gender essentialism of the past without abandoning essentialism altogether. The essay proceeds in three broad steps. First, gender is defined broadly and then from a conservative evangelical viewpoint. Second, essentialism is defined, and potential defeaters are engaged on the various versions of essentialism. Finally, the goodness of essentialism is explored.

Key Words: essentialism, femininity, gender, manhood, masculinity, sex, womanhood

The Philosophy of Gender is an explosive field of study in contemporary academic philosophy and theology, particularly among feminists. Robust and riveting debates abound—but one thing has become largely clear: gender essentialism is supposedly dead.2 Gender essentialism, like nearly all traditional understandings of gender, is a primary target for feminists because of its apparent implicit sexism through patriarchy and androcentrism.3 Despite the death knell from the wider academic community, most conservative evangelical thinkers continue to assert the terminology of gender essentialism. Yet, much of their scholarship on gender has a striking level of ambiguity and a stunning lack of depth and

STR 12:1 (Spring 2021) p. 16

engagement with the broader academic community.4 Therefore, if gender essentialism is to be defended in the current academic climate, it needs serious rehabilitation. A contemporary defense requires engagement with the growing body of literature, clarity on what is actually essential about gender, and how it is politically good for all people—especially women. Therefore, I attempt to recover and defend an essentialist understanding of gender. I will reject many of the narrow extremes of traditional evangelical gender essentialism of the past without abandoning essentialism altogether. My method is largely philosophical rather than biblical. While biblical exegesis has a very important role in this conversation, it is necessary to engage the larger communi...